Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Police voice:
Attention all units, attention all units
We have an All Points Bulletin out on a man with green hair
I repeat, we have an APB on a man with green hair
He's armed with a knife, I repeat, he's armed with a knife
Proceed with caution, watch your back fella's
He could be coming at your girlfriend next
Verse 1:
There's a joker on the loose from the psychiatric ward
His face is up on the bulletin board with a reward
He'll stab you with a sword don't be fooled by his charm
He's probably armed with intent to do bodily harm
Ring the alarm, look for a man with green hair
Check at your girl's house, he was last seen there
He's has a mean stare but usually crack's jokes
Good luck on your mission and guard your backs folks
Chorus:
Come here you fuckin backstabber
why I oughta, be the bitch nigga from the hood, haha
come here you fuckin backstabber
Stay away from him he ain't no good
Verse 2:
We got the walkie-talkies to keep us all informed
Suited up head to toe in detective uniforms
Our unit storms in, we split the ghetto in sectors
Locking down every block and put up metal detectors
Protectors and be sure that you stand close
Watch each others backs and guard your command post
And most of all be advised that he's wise
He could be disguised as one of your very own guys
Chorus:
Come here you fuckin backstabber
why I oughta, be the bitch nigga from the hood, haha
come here you fuckin backstabber
Stay away from him he ain't no good
Verse 3:
I'm on a solo mission to find him personally
To settle the score and beat then him mercifully
For what he first did to me
It's sure to be the last
Following footprints with a magnifying glass
To drag his lying ass back to his padded cell
I'm mad as hell, on the trail of the tattle tail
I heard a yell the voice sounded familiar
"Give me your girlfriend or I'm gonna kill ya"
Chorus:
Come here you fuckin backstabber
why I oughta, be the bitch nigga from the hood, haha
come here you fuckin backstabber
Stay away from him he ain't no good
Verse 4:
I followed the voice that led down a flight of steps
Sneezing at dust, and swinging at the spider-webs
Inside the depths of his basement
I taste lint in my mouth, then the lights in the place… went!
I saw my life flash in front of my eyes
I felt a butcher knife slash at one of my thighs
None of my guys knew where I'm at I was doomed
Then I remembered the flashlight in my costume
Chorus:
Come here you fuckin backstabber
why I oughta, be the bitch nigga from the hood, haha
come here you fuckin backstabber
Stay away from him he ain't no good
Verse 5:
Dealing with backstabber's there was one thing I learned
They're only powerful when you got your back turned
I yearned for the day that we finally met again
So I can give him a taste of his own medicine
He shed his skin, then he promised to come clean
I took his butcher knife and jabbed it into his spleen
Cut him at the seam then dragged the fella home
Beating him over the head with the telephone
Police voice:
Attention all cars, attention all cars
Unit 313 has apprehended the suspect
He's going back to the crazy home, I repeat
He's going back to the crazy home, how about that?
Chorus:
Come here you fuckin backstabber
why I oughta, be the bitch nigga from the hood, haha
come here you fuckin backstabber
Stay away from him he ain't no good
Attention all units, attention all units
We have an All Points Bulletin out on a man with green hair
I repeat, we have an APB on a man with green hair
He's armed with a knife, I repeat, he's armed with a knife
Proceed with caution, watch your back fella's
He could be coming at your girlfriend next
Verse 1:
There's a joker on the loose from the psychiatric ward
His face is up on the bulletin board with a reward
He'll stab you with a sword don't be fooled by his charm
He's probably armed with intent to do bodily harm
Ring the alarm, look for a man with green hair
Check at your girl's house, he was last seen there
He's has a mean stare but usually crack's jokes
Good luck on your mission and guard your backs folks
Chorus:
Come here you fuckin backstabber
why I oughta, be the bitch nigga from the hood, haha
come here you fuckin backstabber
Stay away from him he ain't no good
Verse 2:
We got the walkie-talkies to keep us all informed
Suited up head to toe in detective uniforms
Our unit storms in, we split the ghetto in sectors
Locking down every block and put up metal detectors
Protectors and be sure that you stand close
Watch each others backs and guard your command post
And most of all be advised that he's wise
He could be disguised as one of your very own guys
Chorus:
Come here you fuckin backstabber
why I oughta, be the bitch nigga from the hood, haha
come here you fuckin backstabber
Stay away from him he ain't no good
Verse 3:
I'm on a solo mission to find him personally
To settle the score and beat then him mercifully
For what he first did to me
It's sure to be the last
Following footprints with a magnifying glass
To drag his lying ass back to his padded cell
I'm mad as hell, on the trail of the tattle tail
I heard a yell the voice sounded familiar
"Give me your girlfriend or I'm gonna kill ya"
Chorus:
Come here you fuckin backstabber
why I oughta, be the bitch nigga from the hood, haha
come here you fuckin backstabber
Stay away from him he ain't no good
Verse 4:
I followed the voice that led down a flight of steps
Sneezing at dust, and swinging at the spider-webs
Inside the depths of his basement
I taste lint in my mouth, then the lights in the place… went!
I saw my life flash in front of my eyes
I felt a butcher knife slash at one of my thighs
None of my guys knew where I'm at I was doomed
Then I remembered the flashlight in my costume
Chorus:
Come here you fuckin backstabber
why I oughta, be the bitch nigga from the hood, haha
come here you fuckin backstabber
Stay away from him he ain't no good
Verse 5:
Dealing with backstabber's there was one thing I learned
They're only powerful when you got your back turned
I yearned for the day that we finally met again
So I can give him a taste of his own medicine
He shed his skin, then he promised to come clean
I took his butcher knife and jabbed it into his spleen
Cut him at the seam then dragged the fella home
Beating him over the head with the telephone
Police voice:
Attention all cars, attention all cars
Unit 313 has apprehended the suspect
He's going back to the crazy home, I repeat
He's going back to the crazy home, how about that?
Chorus:
Come here you fuckin backstabber
why I oughta, be the bitch nigga from the hood, haha
come here you fuckin backstabber
Stay away from him he ain't no good
Lyrics submitted by Pinocchio, edited by Mellow_Harsher
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Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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The description of the guy who kills people makes me think of the Joker from Batman comics.
I usualy dont like Eminem..but after my past three weeks this song seems very good. backstabbers suck! and my best freind is one. this song is about a guy who takes a bunch of other guys girls and pretends like he is friends with them and then becomes even more of a backstabber. :I make you think you're a best friend then Why I oughtta Hit a bitch snake from the back, I make you think you're a best friend then Why I oughtta Stay away from him he ain't no good!
uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh never herd da song before but mi jus red it it sounds ok but it looks to novice
i like this song, unlike some people i get the real meaning
this song reminds me of the one short story i read in english class 2 years ago called "the inspiration of Mr. Budd" where this barber dyes this murderer's hair green so the police can more easily identify him, i believe thats what the beginning police radio thing is all about, but i could be mistaken
good call superball
don't know if the chours is correct but it doesn't matter this is tha shit
he wasnt stabbed in the back he was stabbed in the ass with a knife.Guybrows knows nothing.